Homeless teenagers need cover of the law

I WISH to respond to your article headlined ‘There’s no choice: it’s a hostel or the street’ (June 30) highlighting the danger of young people becoming homeless on leaving care.

In the article a 19-year-old girl describes her negative experience of leaving care, saying: ” ‘You’re 18, here’s the door, out you go’, kind of thing.”

The current situation in Ireland is that once a person turns 18 the State has no further legal obligation to provide aftercare services to help him or her make a successful transition to adult life.

Young people leaving care are therefore vulnerable and can subsequently drift between hostels and the street with no direction or support.

Previous research by Focus Ireland showed a high incidence of homelessness before the age of 21 among young people leaving care at 18.

Based on this and our experience of working in the sector, Focus Ireland recently launched a campaign calling for a statutory right to aftercare for people leaving care.

The campaign was launched at the expansion of our aftercare project called Chéad Chéim (First Step). This project provides people aged 18-21 with a supported environment to allow them develop the skills and confidence vital to take the first step to live independently as this crucial time.

The project is making a real difference and has a waiting list demonstrating the need for more services of this kind.

Sadly, not everyone needing this type of support gets it and this can lead to problems in their lives, including becoming homeless.

This is why the right to high-quality aftercare needs to be placed on a legislative basis.

The State has a moral duty to provide such care as a legal right in order to protect vulnerable young people and help them move on to have happy and independent lives.

Joyce Loughnan

Chief Executive

Focus Ireland

9-12 High Street

Dublin 8